Mets’ Carlos Mendoza big advocate in keeping Starling Marte

The veteran outfielder is reportedly happy with a role as a part-time designated hitter.

New York Mets right fielder Starling Marte (6) and manager Carlos Mendoza walk back to the dugout after Marte was called out for interference in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Clover Park. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza is a "major advocate" for veteran outfielder Starling Marte remaining with the team and not being included in a trade this spring.

Marte, 36, has been reported to be offered in trade discussions ever since the club signed outfielder Juan Soto, a decade his junior, to take over for the veteran in right field. After playing 85 of his 94 games in right field last season, Marte is set to platoon at designated hitter with Jesse Winker after the Soto addition.

Read more: Starling Marte not surprised that Mets haven't traded him

But contrary to reports, the veteran outfielder is okay with the reduction in playing time and platoon role. And manager Carlos Mendoza, in his second year as skipper of the club, is reportedly leading the charge for the team retaining Marte for this season.

Carlos Mendoza and Starling Marte chatting on the field earlier during BP

Mendy has been a major advocate for keeping Marte with the Mets I’m told pic.twitter.com/IPULRFLnUl

— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) February 17, 2025

Some of this logically stems from the depth and experience that retaining Marte brings to the roster. Marte has thirteen seasons and 1,432 MLB games under his belt, including 298 games (and a .272 batting average) in New York across his three seasons with the Mets. On a roster that is expected to have four starters under the age of 30, including 23-year-old catcher Francisco Alvarez and 25-year-old third baseman Mark Vientos, his experience can help those young players with the unique demands of playing in MLB's largest and toughest media market.

But Mendoza is likely also drawn to Marte's innate ability to come through in clutch moments for the club. In 2024, Marte excelled at the plate in the most important situations: when runners were on base. With runners in scoring position, Marte hit .316 with a .846 OPS; he was even better with the bases loaded, hitting .333 with a .889 OPS.

The veteran outfielder has fourteen walk-off hits in his career, including a single against the Washington Nationals last September that pushed New York's lead in the Wild Card a game ahead of the Atlanta Braves before the two teams were set to meet the next week.

STARLING MARTE WALKS IT OFF FOR THE METS 🥳

(via @SNYtv)pic.twitter.com/ToP2HXg6t8

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) September 17, 2024

Marte, who hit 59 points better against lefties than righties in 2024, is expected to divide playing time at designated hitter with Jesse Winker, who is historically 66 points better against righties than lefties in his career. Both players are also candidates for fill-in time in left field for Brandon Nimmo,who continues to work his way back from a plantar fascitis injury that hampered him late in 2024.

Marte has even offered to spend time in centerfield, a position where he's spent only thirteen innings since joining the club, if that is what is required for him to contribute to the organization's goal of bringing a World Series championship back to Queens.